The Columbian. [volume] (Bloomsburg, Pa.) 1866-1910, 1887-10-28

Lucilld tied the n,u6ier around my neck.
manner And when departed for
the Office, Lucilla herself stood on
tiptoe to tie the worsted round my
neck.
For II you should take cold,
dearest, and anything should happen,
1t would break your dear little
wifes heart"
Under these harmonious circum-
stances that sudden voyage to India
came like a thunderbolt across the
serene horizon OF our matrimonial
life.
How shall I live without you
six months, my dearest?" sobbed
Lucilla, her lovely beryl eyes swim
ming In tears.
But we cannot always control ne
cessity. and. after a mournful fare
we'll, In which my wife fairly sue
cumbed and went into Mysteries. I
departed ON necessary business for
the firm OF Miner and Mortlake, I
myself being the aforesaid Mortlaks.
How it happened that my name
was erroneously lugged into the de-
tails OF that massacre In which the
'barbarous coolies murdered 80 many
of the foreign population. when was
actually ten miles further up the
long fever, during which found It
impossible to write or obtain an
amanuensis, served to complicate mat
ters. When recovered, I resolved
to proceed Immediately back to my
native land.
"I'll not WRITE" I mentally decided.
..I'll surprise Lucilla, bless her dear
little heart! How delighted she will
bev'
SO I took passage in the first
English steamer that sailed.
Halfway across, we hailed an
English craft, outward bound, and
there was an exchange Of newspapers
and other civilities.
scarce more than six weeks old, /
saw, under the obituary notices, my
own name,
So was supposed to be dead.
It IL sudden shock to read OF
your own death, and calculate how
long you have been under ground,
and not by any means an agreeable
one.
II don't think I'm dead, said stretch
ing out my arms and legs, giving
myself q pinch. and feeling the strong
pulses that projected healthy currents
through my veins, and yet this evi'
dence is certainly very convincing
that ! was murdered by barbaroua
natives on the night OF the 25th Of
May. Poor dear little Lucilla how
inconsolable she must be !"
So 1t happened, you see, that !
was going home to comfort my
| widow
It was late In the afternoon when
we entered port, and the shadows
OF the autumn evening were gathering
round as / crept up the doorsteps
OF my mansion, and entered, stealth
| lily as a robber.
Were the shutters down, the win
dows draped, the house dressed in
seemly habiliments of woe? Not at
all; lights glowed brilliantly pehint
the enpteips, gay voices eohopd from
the pallor, and-could my ears have
deceived me? No, surely that was
Lucllla's laugh ringing merrily on the
air.
"A little hysterical, perhaps" I
thought, but nevertheless, instead OF
boldly entering the drawing room and
confronting my wife, l instinctlvely
| passed ~ 10 the glazed extension
room behind, communicating, by drap-
cries Of silk, with the larger apart
ment--a room where had been wont
to keep my books and which / dig
nified by the title of p" library"
1t was but family lighted by the
borroWeG iustre of the drawing room
Chandelier, and as l entered | STUN
bled over something-it was my own
portrait ignominiously turned with
Its face to the wall.
erept forward with an ominous
foreoodlhg-a sudden disagreeable re-
collection Of Fitz-Brown's eoaking
pred ctions, But as l put aside the
Tyrlan folds OF the curtain q
most unwelcome vision met my eye.
Lucilla in her widows weeds.
side her on the sofa, actually playing
with her soft little white hand, and